La Hacienda de San Angel and IllumiNations!

[fractalpotato]

Hey all!

I have a plan, which might be full of holes, so I wanted to run it by everyone here first. I booked dinner at La Hacienda de San Angel when my six month window opened, for September 2 of this year. I booked it later than I generally like to eat, 8pm, because I was anticipating a 9pm showing of IllumiNations (schedule wasn't out yet) and hoped to sweet talk my way in to a table with a view. However, the schedule is now out and I have some concerns:

1. IllumiNations is at 10pm, a full 2 hours after my ADR time, and way, way too late to consider dinner.
2. I've never dined at this restaurant before, the menu looks good to me but I'm not sure how much of a view it really has? I don't even remember who told me it was a good spot.
3. This is our arrival day, we should be hitting Epcot at about 2pm, we'll be good to go until 10pm, but we're likely to be pretty hungry before 8, which we were going to tough out with snacks to see the show, but sounds pretty unappealing at the moment.

That all said, it's a party of two people in their mid to late 20s, if that factors in at all. What do you guys think of my plan? Any recommendations for a better way to do this? Seeing IllumiNations that night is pretty high priority because we have the other night time shows to consider and limited time on this trip.

Matt

 

[Oswald's Fury]

Hey, Matt! My wife and I did that last year on our Disneymoon I can attest to the fact that the views are absolutely spectacular! I attached a photo so you can see what I am taking about! It is definitely worth eating extra snacks earlier in order to enjoy the show from there with the music pumping into the restaurant and the lights dimmed down. If you ask for a table by the window they absolutely will get that for you, however, you may wait a bit later than your reservation of 8 pm! When we did that last year we waited an extra 20 minutes but it was well worth it! They gave us a semi-circular booth that was raised above the other diners and it was SPECTACULAR! If you take time to get apps, dinner, and dessert you can easily stay there until the show begins and then just enjoy!! Hope that was helpful and feel free to message me if you have any other questions!

 

[fractalpotato]

Hey, Matt! My wife and I did that last year on our Disneymoon I can attest to the fact that the views are absolutely spectacular! I attached a photo so you can see what I am taking about! It is definitely worth eating extra snacks earlier in order to enjoy the show from there with the music pumping into the restaurant and the lights dimmed down. If you ask for a table by the window they absolutely will get that for you, however, you may wait a bit later than your reservation of 8 pm! When we did that last year we waited an extra 20 minutes but it was well worth it! They gave us a semi-circular booth that was raised above the other diners and it was SPECTACULAR! If you take time to get apps, dinner, and dessert you can easily stay there until the show begins and then just enjoy!! Hope that was helpful and feel free to message me if you have any other questions!

Wonderful! Thank you so much for your response! Those photos look great, though I think we'd prefer one of the seats right at the window personally. I don't mind waiting an addition 20 or even 40 minutes to get that window seat, especially if we're looking to bridge time to the show, we can definitely find some snacks with F&W going on. Did you have any trouble with your request? I asked for fireworks viewing at Rose & Crown last March 2016 and mentioned I was perfectly fine to wait and celebrating a birthday and all they could do for me was to bring us out on the terrace for the show, which was still great. We are really hoping to stay seated and watch over dessert this time though. Should we show up early? We'll be celebrating our first trip to the World together as a couple if that helps grease the skids a bit, not quite as universally appreciated as a birthday trip!

Matt

 

[Oswald's Fury]

Wonderful! Thank you so much for your response! Those photos look great, though I think we'd prefer one of the seats right at the window personally. I don't mind waiting an addition 20 or even 40 minutes to get that window seat, especially if we're looking to bridge time to the show, we can definitely find some snacks with F&W going on. Did you have any trouble with your request? I asked for fireworks viewing at Rose & Crown last March 2016 and mentioned I was perfectly fine to wait and celebrating a birthday and all they could do for me was to bring us out on the terrace for the show, which was still great. We are really hoping to stay seated and watch over dessert this time though. Should we show up early? We'll be celebrating our first trip to the World together as a couple if that helps grease the skids a bit, not quite as universally appreciated as a birthday trip!

Matt

I would use any excuse possible to gain favor from the Cast Members because they will admit always work extra hard to make your dining experience extra special if they know it is your guys first time visiting together! I would advise just to get there at your scheduled reservation time because that will kill more time you need to lessen the gap in between eating and the show! The window sears you'll receive will only be a couple of hundred yards away from the globe that moves on the water during Illuminations!! You guys will be in awe of it all from those seats!! Good luck, my friend!

 

[Moliphino]

If seeing Illuminations is a priority you're better off finding a good spot outside around the lagoon. There aren't that many tables right by the windows and there's no guarantee you can get one of them.

 

[Hopefully]

I totally agree with @Moliphino and totally disagree with Oswald's Fury. Oswald's Fury got very lucky and had an awesome view. But they Absolutely will NOT guarantee you a window table. Everyone asks for one. Only a few tables have a good view of Illuminations. There are window tables that face the other way and have absolutely no view of Illuminations. There is a side room with no view of Illuminations.
Most often, you must take the first table offered or loose your ADR.
I would eat earlier, especially on travel day and then find a spot outside to see Illuminations. There are many, many great outdoor spots
Good Luck

 

[Scott MC]

I agree completely with @Hopefully. Not every table in this restaurant has a clear view of Illuminations, whereas it's not incredibly difficult to get a good view outside where the view is more panoramic, and the music is louder. Quite frankly, you may find yourself rushed along as a restaurant like this does not usually intend for diners to hold the table for two hours plus. If you are so worried about being hungry, why not book dinner at about six or seven then you would have plenty of time to find a wonderful spot to view the show? Otherwise you're doing a lot of gambling, and possibly holding up a table for someone who is willing and able to eat at a later hour.

 

[NuJoy]

()

 

[jwfla422]

If seeing Illuminations is a priority you're better off finding a good spot outside around the lagoon. There aren't that many tables right by the windows and there's no guarantee you can get one of them.

Agreed, we also ate here, a party of 2 and our table was by a concrete wall, couldn't see anything outside and there's really nowhere you can stand to watch it from a window so your table needs to be by one. You can request that but be prepared to wait. They wanted to shove us in this little booth in an small room right next to a rowdy family-when I asked if we could move to somewhere in the main area I got attitude but they did accommodate us next to the concrete wall...next to a party of 20......kinda interesting that the poster just before me mentioned how unpleasant the host was as we experienced the same thing.

 

[Anniefrances]

And I will add to the discussion that even if you do score a table by the window there is a very real possibility of other people getting up and standing right next to you to view the show. I saw this happen the last time we dined there.

 

[purple figment]

There is absolutely NO restaurant that will guarantee you a table with a view of fireworks. Some restaurants have tables with a view of the evening show, but pretty much everyone asks for these tables so not everyone can be accommodated no matter how special the evening/vacation is, how long someone is willing to wait or how much "sweet talk" happens. Over the years, a number of posters have said that La Hacienda is the least accommodating when it comes to table requests and will often seat parties at the next available table for your party size. Since IllumiNations is a "pretty high priority" for you and the menu "looks good" you can keep the reservation and if you get a window table you'll be able to enjoy the show. If you don't get the table you want, you'll have enough time to finish eating and find a nice place around the lagoon. Choose a spot where you can see the center of the lagoon.

Rose & Crown Dining Room is your best bet for dining and viewing IllumiNations. It has some tables with an excellent view of the show on the patio, but if you are seated inside there is a viewing area exclusive to those dining at the the restaurant so you won't have to look for a spot around the lagoon. Just let your server know you want to go outside to see IllumiNations and take you out there just before the show.

 

[Belle5]

We have been seated by the windows twice. First with 9 people. Then with four. The tables right up next to the windows are not 2 tops. I don't think your chances are very good of being seated right up by the windows like you hope. I would eat at whatever restaurant sounds the best to you at the optimal dining time for your schedule. Then, you should stake out a great viewing spot for Illuminations around the lagoon where you can have a full view and complete sound for the overall best experience. Just my experience. YMMV.

 

[fractalpotato]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. We've decided to do Tokyo Dining earlier and then just find a spot to watch so we can book it out of town as soon as the show is over.

Matt